More than 30 people suffer cardiac arrest after volcanic eruption in Japan.
The term cardiac arrest was used to describe the people who were climbing the mountain who were found without vital signs (no pulse or breathing), but have not yet been declared dead by a doctor; the summit of Mount Ontake, Japan's second-highest volcano at 3.067 meters, erupted yesterday.
Danilo Macedo, from Agência Brasil
Japanese authorities said today (28) that rescuers found more than 30 people in cardiac arrest near the summit of Mount Ontake, Japan's second largest volcano, at 3.067 meters high, which erupted yesterday (28). The term cardiac arrest was used to say that the people, who were climbing the mountain, were found without vital signs (no pulse and breathing), but have not yet been declared dead by a doctor.
The eruption of Mount Ontake, 100 kilometers from Nagoya in central Japan, caused one death and injured about 50 people on Saturday. Japanese police reported that hundreds of people were in the vicinity of the volcano, in a region popular for trekking.
Operations conducted with the help of an Army helicopter have evacuated 230 people from the area. According to the Japanese government, 32 remain missing. The exact number of tourists on excursions to the mountain is unknown. Approximately 550 military personnel, including police officers, firefighters, and members of the Armed Forces, are participating in the search and rescue operation.
Yesterday, the search was suspended due to the risk of new eruptions and the presence of toxic gases. The Japan Meteorological Agency reported this morning that a plume of smoke was rising from the volcano's crater, reaching approximately 300 meters in height. According to the agency, volcanic tremors continue. The last major eruption of Mount Ontake occurred in 1979, when more than 200 tons of ash were expelled, according to estimates from the country's authorities.
*With information from the Lusa news agency, the Telam news agency and the NHK broadcaster.